NEW YORK - Columbia women's basketball opened the second
half with an 18-2 run to nearly make a comeback from a 21-point halftime deficit
but dropped a 62-43 decision to Yale Saturday night in Levien Gym.

With the loss, Columbia dropped to 3-18 on the season
including a 1-6 Ivy League mark.

Yale (9-13, 4-4) started off with an opening 8-0 run to take
an early lead. Back-to-back baskets by Sara Mead got the Lions on the board. Miwa
Tachibana knocked down a three-pointer followed by an old-fashioned three-point
play and Courtney Bradford added a free throw to bring the Lions within three,
14-11, at the 13:48 mark. But Yale embarked on 20-0 run over a 10-minute span
to take a commanding 36-11 advantage. Tachibana ended the drought with an
and-one opportunity with 2:01 to go.

The Lions opened the fresh half with a commanding 18-2
drive, including 10 points by Tyler Simpson. Yale halted the run with a
three-pointer by Megan Vasquez, but Tachibana had an answer as the sophomore
knocked one down from deep to bring the Lions within five and the crowd to its
feet.

Yale halted Columbia's comeback with a 16-1 run of its own
and did not look back the rest of the way in posting the victory.

Tachibana led the Lions in scoring for the second straight
game, posting 15 points to go with three rebounds. Tyler Simpson was the second
Columbia player in double figures as she added 10 points, while Bradford pulled
down nine boards on the night.

Up next, the Lions hit the road for a pair of Ivy League
games against Princeton and Penn. Columbia will face the Tigers on Friday, Feb.
22 at 7 p.m. followed by a 7 p.m. tipoff against the Quakers Saturday night.